Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Gladstone Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Gladstone

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,457 in Melbourne versus $2,253 in Gladstone.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,683 in Melbourne versus $3,140 in Gladstone.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,908 in Melbourne versus $4,027 in Gladstone.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 9% more expensive than in Gladstone, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 84% above, Gladstone 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.60 A$28.04

$16.02 A$22.92

22.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.5 A$109

$76.9 A$110

-0.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.05 A$14.37

$9.97 A$14.25

0.80%

Cappuccino

$3.75 A$5.37

$3.33 A$4.77

12.61%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 A$3.71

$2.53 A$3.63

2.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 A$3.38

$2.14 A$3.06

10.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.23 A$10.34

$6.68 A$9.55

8.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 A$10.12

$7.33 A$10.48

-3.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 A$2.06

$1.48 A$2.11

-2.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 A$3.64

$2.35 A$3.36

8.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.32

$1.98 A$2.82

17.17%

Eggs

$4.71 A$6.73

$4.22 A$6.04

11.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.00 A$12.87

$8.74 A$12.50

2.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.29 A$13.28

$8.51 A$12.17

9.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.80 A$21.16

$13.56 A$19.40

9.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 A$4.51

$3.20 A$4.57

-1.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 A$3.99

$2.83 A$4.05

-1.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 A$4.13

$3.02 A$4.31

-4.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 A$5.72

$4.08 A$5.83

-1.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 A$3.89

$2.44 A$3.49

11.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.34

$2.12 A$3.03

9.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.16

$2.17 A$3.10

1.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 A$2.26

$1.59 A$2.27

-0.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.05 A$47.27

$30.43 A$43.52

8.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.07 A$20.12

$14.10 A$20.16

-0.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.66 A$6.67

$4.53 A$6.48

2.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 A$7.16

$5.23 A$7.48

-4.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.56 A$5.10

$2.66 A$3.80

33.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$118 A$168

$65.6 A$93.9

79.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 A$5.10

$3.65 A$5.22

-2.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 A$1.92

$1.57 A$2.24

-14.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.80 A$38.33

$33.30 A$47.63

-19.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 A$1.69

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.8K A$41.1K

$29.4K A$42.1K

-2.21%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.2K A$33.1K

$22.5K A$32.2K

3.02%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$149 A$213

$183 A$262

-18.96%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.73 A$29.65

$25.84 A$36.96

-19.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 A$72.5

$50.5 A$72.2

0.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.33 A$70.6

$48.82 A$69.8

1.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.94 A$22.79

$15.90 A$22.74

0.25%

Cinema Ticket

$16.13 A$23.06

$12.64 A$18.08

27.61%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,768 A$2,528

$1,640 A$2,345

7.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.6K A$28.0K

$12.1K A$17.4K

61.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.8 A$98.3

$69.0 A$98.6

-0.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 A$75.1

$49.87 A$71.3

5.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 A$153

$98.3 A$141

9.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$150

-0.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,529 A$2,186

$1,288 A$1,842

18.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 A$1,725

$1,078 A$1,541

11.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,966 A$4,241

$1,254 A$1,794

136.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,007 A$2,871

$1,361 A$1,947

47.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,307 A$10.5K

$6,545 A$9,361

11.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,305 A$9,018

$4,640 A$6,636

35.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,494 A$6,427

$5,596 A$8,003

-19.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.34

-2.37%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Melbourne: July 20, 2026

Last update for Gladstone: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,529 in Melbourne and $1,288 in Gladstone. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gladstone pays 25% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $76.0 in Melbourne vs $77.0 in Gladstone. Groceries flip the comparison at $352 vs $339, with Gladstone cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Melbourne vs Gladstone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gladstone wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Melbourne. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gladstone the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Gladstone. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,529 in Melbourne versus $1,288 in Gladstone. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,457 per month in Melbourne versus $2,253 in Gladstone – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gladstone runs roughly 79% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,253 in Gladstone versus $2,457 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gladstone but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Gladstone the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Melbourne and Gladstone are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Gladstone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.